spinning reel, bail turning direction?

[BF]

Hiya,

I'm a big fan of spinning reels, they're all I've used for long time. Are there any current spinning reels in which the bail turns counter-clockwise during retrieve, when looking at the reel from front? I've got a pflueger that's very smooth and I'm fond of, but I don't like that the bail turns clockwise when you're reeling in. For years I used an old Mitchell that wound the opposite way, and loved that if I just extended my right index finger (the rod holding hand) as the retrieve ended, the bail would place the line on my finger tip for the next cast. No looking, no fiddling.

For the life of me, I can't figure out why it seems all the reels these days are set up to turn the bail the other way. It'd be great if you're left handed and crank with the right hand, cast with the left, but those of use who are righties (the majority) who cast with the right hand are having to look down/align the bail for every cast (?!). I've tried and worn out many of "self centering" bail types of reels over the years, it just seems like a poor solution, when the obvious solution is to just have them turn the other way.

Are there other brands that turn the way I want?

thx.

 

[dingbat]

Re: spinning reel, bail turning direction?

I'm having a hard time following what your says. I don't see how the bail rotating one way or the other makes it any easier or harder.

Maybe try a bailess reel and see how that works for ya. A bailess reel stops most of the coiling and wind knot problems as well.

 

[BF]

Re: spinning reel, bail turning direction?

Sorry, I'll try and explain it better.... I hold the rod in my right hand, crank with the left. So if I stick my right index finger out while reeling in with my Pflueger (or any other new spinning reel I've seen), the line hits the back side of my finger. With my old Mitchell, the line winds on the spool the opposite way, so when I'd stick my finger out, the line would be placed right on the tip of my finger, where it needs to be for me to hold it for the next cast. (on the finger print side of the finger, not the nail side)

I'm not sure what you mean by a bailess reel? A bait caster?

I imagine if someone never used a spinning reel that rotated the other way, they might not appreciate how big the difference is when you're spending a whole day casting. I still pull out my old Mitchell sometimes, but the new reels are soooo much smoother.

 

[dingbat]

Re: spinning reel, bail turning direction?

I'm not sure what you mean by a bailess reel? A bait caster?

Bails are problematic (sticking) in the surf so they eliminated them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhyuTVvT1Kc

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: spinning reel, bail turning direction?

The reason they rotate the way they do is because of they way the line is loaded onto a spool of line at the factory. You spool up a spinning real off the top of the spool and a level wind off the bottom. Up until recently, all lines had memory and the more you could reduce it the better off you were.

I think between reel manufacturers and line manufactures they settled on a rotation that resulted in more consistent performance of both products. Spool up one of those old Mitchel's wrong and watch the line fall off on the deck the minute you open the bail. That's less likely to happen today even with those that don't know the proper methods for spooling a spinning reel. Just so you know, high end reels like the Steeze and Stella can be modified to rotate in the opposite direction. Parts are available if you know the right reel guys but with the cost of those reels, I don't attempt it myself.

 

[geoffwga1]

Re: spinning reel, bail turning direction?

I had a Mitchell like the one you describe and it almost drove me nuts.I could not see any advantage to it and I was almost glad when a big carp yanked it over the stern of the boat one day,along with a nice little Abu rod I had. I don't know of any other reels that turn ccwise .I find that over the course of 60 years if you just stick your finger out and lift the bail,the line just whips around and hangs right on you finger.I suppose it's what you get used to.
Geoffwga1